Mr President, Don't Even Think About It

[Pryderi]

http://andrewsullivan.thedailybeast.com/2012/12/will-obama-crack-down-on-legal-weed.html

Well, since they're asking: if they decide to treat the law-abiding citizens of Colorado and Washington as dangerous felons; if they decide to allocate their precious law enforcement powers to persecuting and arresting people for following a state law that they have themselves just passed by clear majorities; if they decide that opposing a near majority of Americans in continuing to prosecute the drug war on marijuana, even when the core of their own supporters want an end to Prohibition, and even when that Prohibition makes no sense ... then we will give them hell.

And it will get personal. The president wasn't just once a pot-smoker, he was a very serious pothead. His own life and career prove that this substance is no more potentially damaging to a human being than alcohol, which is not only legal but marketed to us with abandon. The future coalition he has built - especially its Millennial base - will splinter. Maybe even some libertarian Republicans will seize the issue and champion federalism consistently for a change.

But the main reason the president should instruct the Justice Department that this is not an area for discretionary prosecution is that choosing to focus on pot-prohibition in states that have legalized it defies reason. One of my core arguments for Obama has long been his adoption of what I consider pretty reasonable, if always debatable, policies. He is not an extremist, proposing laws and regulations that are designed to make a cultural point or wage a cultural war; he's a pragmatist, trying to fix existing problems.

[Taverner]

1. Between this and Syria, I'm wondering how useful "winning" is

[AnotherMcIntosh]

4. "Between this and Syria". And there's also the pending let's-send-more-jobs-to-foreign-countries

"free-trade" agreement.

When it is signed, it will join the first three that he signed as a warm-up with no serious opposition.

[democrattotheend]

5. Which trade agreement?

Do you mean the one with Europe? If so, I read that it's not too much of a labor problem b/c Europe has high labor standards. As far as I know the unions have not been vocal about opposing it, and I think even Sherrod Brown voted for it.

But I have not had time to follow all the news that closely because exams are coming up, so can you just clarify what agreement you are talking about and whether my facts are right?

[former-republican]

6. I think he's talking about the South America free trade agreement

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/theoval/post/2011/10/obama-signs-free-trade-bills/1

[AnotherMcIntosh]

9. No. The TPP, the pending Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement.

http://www.salon.com/2012/10/23/everything_you_wanted_to_know_about_the_trans_pacific_partnership/

It is a disaster in the making.

[AnotherMcIntosh]

8. TPP, or as noted in Salon, "Trans-Pacific Partnership: The biggest trade deal you’ve never heard of"

"...
"What exactly is in the Trans-Pacific Partnership?

"It’s hard to know. While negotiations started in 2007, most negotiating documents and draft chapters are classified. Stakeholders — including 600 corporations but also several labor unions including the AFL-CIO — can see the draft text, but the public and Congress cannot. Nevertheless, a few draft chapters have been leaked. Some of the more controversial aspects that have been revealed include making medicine in poor countries much more expensive, banning “Buy American” preferences in our procurement procedures, rules that may force the deregulation of the financial sector, and a new part of the agreement that might force the privatization of state-owned assets. ...

http://www.salon.com/2012/10/23/everything_you_wanted_to_know_about_the_trans_pacific_partnership/

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. Couldn't agree more!

K&R

[abelenkpe]

3. K&R nt

[Cali_Democrat]

7. We can't afford to crack down on weed

I say screw it. People wanna smoke, let 'em smoke.

[JaneyVee]

10. Don't smoke pot, you could become the greatest swimmer of our time, or President of the USA

or record the greatest album ever, or write a earth-shattering novel. BEWARE!

[Pryderi]

11. lol! Great meme to put on a pic. nt